How to determine if Javascript array contains an object with an attribute that equals a given value?

Question

I have an array like

vendors = [{
    Name: \'Magenic\',
    ID: \'ABC\'
  },
  {
    Name: \'Microsoft\',
    ID: \'DEF\'
  } // and so on... 
];


        

Answer 1

My approach to solving this problem is to use ES6 and creating a function that does the check for us. The benefit of this function is that it can be reusable through out your project to check any array of objects given the key and the value to check.

ENOUGH TALK, LET'S SEE THE CODE

Array

const ceos = [
  {
    name: "Jeff Bezos",
    company: "Amazon"
  }, 
  {
    name: "Mark Zuckerberg",
    company: "Facebook"
  }, 
  {
    name: "Tim Cook",
    company: "Apple"
  }
];

Function

const arrayIncludesInObj = (arr, key, valueToCheck) => {
  let found = false;

  arr.some(value => {
    if (value[key] === valueToCheck) {
      found = true;
      return true; // this will break the loop once found
    }
  });

  return found;
}

Call/Usage

const found = arrayIncludesInObj(ceos, "name", "Tim Cook"); // true

const found = arrayIncludesInObj(ceos, "name", "Tim Bezos"); // false

Answer 2

2018 edit: This answer is from 2011, before browsers had widely supported array filtering methods and arrow functions. Have a look at CAFxX's answer.

There is no "magic" way to check for something in an array without a loop. Even if you use some function, the function itself will use a loop. What you can do is break out of the loop as soon as you find what you're looking for to minimize computational time.

var found = false;
for(var i = 0; i < vendors.length; i++) {
    if (vendors[i].Name == 'Magenic') {
        found = true;
        break;
    }
}

Answer 3

Correct me if i'm wrong.. i could have used forEach method like this,

var found=false;
vendors.forEach(function(item){
   if(item.name === "name"){
       found=true;

   }
});

Nowadays i'm used to it ,because of it simplicity and self explanatory word. Thank you.

Answer 4

Unless you want to restructure it like this:

vendors = {
    Magenic: {
      Name: 'Magenic',
      ID: 'ABC'
     },
    Microsoft: {
      Name: 'Microsoft',
      ID: 'DEF'
    } and so on... 
};

to which you can do if(vendors.Magnetic)

You will have to loop

Answer 5

You cannot without looking into the object really.

You probably should change your structure a little, like

vendors = {
    Magenic:   'ABC',
    Microsoft: 'DEF'
};

Then you can just use it like a lookup-hash.

vendors['Microsoft']; // 'DEF'
vendors['Apple']; // undefined

Answer 6

Many answers here are good and pretty easy. But if your array of object is having a fixed set of value then you can use below trick:

Map all the name in a object.

vendors = [
    {
      Name: 'Magenic',
      ID: 'ABC'
     },
    {
      Name: 'Microsoft',
      ID: 'DEF'
    }
];

var dirtyObj = {}
for(var count=0;count<vendors.length;count++){
   dirtyObj[vendors[count].Name] = true //or assign which gives you true.
}

Now this dirtyObj you can use again and again without any loop.

if(dirtyObj[vendor.Name]){
  console.log("Hey! I am available.");
}